Teacher: Mr. Cognata Office Location: Ed. Center 111 Office Hours: 9:50- 1:40 T TH 8-11:30 M W F E-mail: dominick.cognata@maine.edu
Summary of Unit
This unit will cover the events leading up to the American Revolution and everything that transpired during and after the war. There will be an in depth look at the American Revolution. Students will also know what key leaders were involved, what battles took place and where they took place. Students will understand when the major turning point were and how these events played out for each side. Students will gain this knowledge through various projects, tests, quizzes, readings, home work assignments and research. At the end of this course students will be able to truly justify the American Revolution and how critical it was in the birth of our nation. They will also understand that if the Revolution never happened we would not be here today.
Establish Goals
Maine Learning Results Content Area: Social studies Standard Label: E history Standard: E1 Historical Knowledge, concepts, themes and patterns. Grade level span: Grade 9-Diploma "American History: Revolutionary Era".
Understanding major eras, major themes and influences in U.S. and world history, including roots of democracy and ideas in the world. Performance Indicators: a,c,e
Students will understand that
• the American Revolution was critical in establishing our own nation
• the American Revolution changed the U.S forever.
• the American Revolution changed the global world.
Essential Questions
• Why was the Revolution key when establishing our own nation?
• How did the Revolution change America forever?
• How did the Revolution change the global world?
Students will know
• Events...signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, the Battle of Ticonderoga, the March to Quebec
• People... George Washington, John Adams, Sam Adams, Benedict Arnold, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson
• Key factual information...The French were our allies, George Washington was a general before he became the President, the British Navy was superior to ours, there were loyalists(British sympathizers)and patriots.
Students will be able to
• justify the American Revolution taking place.
• evaluate the long term effects of the American Revolution.
• students will be able to exhibit the characteristics of the American Revolution.
• analyze the changes in America during the Revolution.
• imagine being a part of the American Revolution
• recognize the motivations of the Americans and the British
Performance Task Overview
The History Channel board of directors is looking for a new documentary over the American Revolution. You are an aspiring film maker trying to get your documentary accepted by the board. Make a documentary that covers the main events of the Revolutionary War in an attractive and original way. For this assignment you will have to reenact AT LEAST one part of your documentary, however you may do more than one reenactment of an event if you choose so. Scenes will be shot in appropriate settings(ex. You cannot film the signing of the Declaration of Independence in a school classroom).The Documentary can be no shorter than five minutes, but no longer than fifteen. You and your film crew will provide an introduction before the film premieres. You will discuss obstacles that arose during filming, things that you thought went really well, what your overall experience was like and if you would do this project again if you had the choice.
Expectations
Absences: With absences there will be a three strike you're out kind of policy. If students do not show up to class more than three times they will have a meeting with me to talk about why they are not showing up and what the solution to the problem is. If they do not provide me with a proper explanation or one that is not good enough they will begin to lose point in their class participation grade. Plagiarism: The student and I will have a sit down in which I show them how to properly cite information. They will not have points taken off or receive any kind of punishment the first time, but if the student does it again intentionally their will be a conference called with them, their parents and myself to discuss a solution to the situation. Assignments: If students are absent the day an assignment is due they will have three days to make it up, after that they will receive a zero. If a student does not turn in an assignment the day it is due they will have until the end of the day to make it up. After that if it is not turned in the next three days will once again automatically become a zero. For any and all papers the font will be 12 ALWAYS. Classroom Expectations:
Students will be...
Respectful to others and their opinions
Show up to class on time with all materials
Attentive during class
Honest and will be expected to display integrity at all times in the classroom.
Not allowed to interrupt myself or fellow classmates and will ask question or assert their opinions when appropriate.
Benchmarks (550 total points)
• Slideshow-analyze the changes in America during the Revolution. Students will insert events in their slideshow that they felt were critical during this time. They will justify why they had these events in their slideshow. The presentation should not be done by one person, each student will contribute and present in an equal capacity. (100 points)
• Imovie- make a film exhibiting the characteristics of the Revolutionary War. In this project you will film at least one reenactment of an event during this time. The rest of the film is open ended in terms of how would like to present the other events. Students may use pictures with sounds and narration if you wish. The use of models is also acceptable(ex. a model of the Battle of Ticonderoga). (150 points)
• Essay in Google docs- evaluate the long term effects of the American Revolution. This will be a four to six page assignment in which you show me what you have learned. Students will have the option of covering one specific event during the Revolution and justifying to me why this event was so critical. Students can also choose to go more broad and justify the whole Revolution. Whatever the students chooses they must have sources cited. (100 points)
• Interactive wiki space- students go on their wiki and re-enact/recreate historical events(ex. the signing of the Declaration of Independence). Students may collaborate with one another for this project, especially if the event one student is covering directly relates to one that a fellow classmate is covering(ex. the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party). (60 points)
• Comics-students will make a historical fictional comic or a real event that took place. Students will do their own illustrations and writing. Students will have to be creative here because they will have to imagine what certain events were like(ex. what was the battle of Ticonderoga like? What were the smells? What was the body count? What did it look like? What were the battle techniques? etc.). (40 points)
• Fake trial- students can recreate trials that took place during the Revolution. Students will be given role sheets and be instructed to do what their historical character would have done based on the information we have on that person. Students will understand their motivations and will accordingly. Students will also have to perform their roles in accordance to their role sheet, but should feel free to incorporate their own creative attributes to the character. When looking at their performance as a whole the students portrayal of the role will be key. They will need to be original and they will have to follow the role sheet closely to their characters(100 points).
Grading Scale
A (93 -100), A- (90 - 92), B+ (87 - 89), B (83 - 86), B- (80 - 82), C+(77 - 79), C (73-76), C- (70 - 72), D+(67 - 69), D (63 - 66), D- (60 - 62), F (0 - 59).
Office Location: Ed. Center 111
Office Hours: 9:50- 1:40 T TH 8-11:30 M W F
E-mail: dominick.cognata@maine.edu
Summary of Unit
This unit will cover the events leading up to the American Revolution and everything that transpired during and after the war. There will be an in depth look at the American Revolution. Students will also know what key leaders were involved, what battles took place and where they took place. Students will understand when the major turning point were and how these events played out for each side. Students will gain this knowledge through various projects, tests, quizzes, readings, home work assignments and research. At the end of this course students will be able to truly justify the American Revolution and how critical it was in the birth of our nation. They will also understand that if the Revolution never happened we would not be here today.Establish Goals
Maine Learning ResultsContent Area: Social studies
Standard Label: E history
Standard: E1 Historical Knowledge, concepts, themes and patterns.
Grade level span: Grade 9-Diploma "American History: Revolutionary Era".
Understanding major eras, major themes and influences in U.S. and world history, including roots of democracy and ideas in the world.
Performance Indicators: a,c,e
Students will understand that
• the American Revolution was critical in establishing our own nation
• the American Revolution changed the U.S forever.
• the American Revolution changed the global world.
Essential Questions
• Why was the Revolution key when establishing our own nation?
• How did the Revolution change America forever?
• How did the Revolution change the global world?
Students will know
• Events...signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, the Battle of Ticonderoga, the March to Quebec
• People... George Washington, John Adams, Sam Adams, Benedict Arnold, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson
• Key factual information...The French were our allies, George Washington was a general before he became the President, the British Navy was superior to ours, there were loyalists(British sympathizers)and patriots.
Students will be able to
• justify the American Revolution taking place.
• evaluate the long term effects of the American Revolution.
• students will be able to exhibit the characteristics of the American Revolution.
• analyze the changes in America during the Revolution.
• imagine being a part of the American Revolution
• recognize the motivations of the Americans and the British
Performance Task Overview
The History Channel board of directors is looking for a new documentary over the American Revolution. You are an aspiring film maker trying to get your documentary accepted by the board. Make a documentary that covers the main events of the Revolutionary War in an attractive and original way. For this assignment you will have to reenact AT LEAST one part of your documentary, however you may do more than one reenactment of an event if you choose so. Scenes will be shot in appropriate settings(ex. You cannot film the signing of the Declaration of Independence in a school classroom).The Documentary can be no shorter than five minutes, but no longer than fifteen. You and your film crew will provide an introduction before the film premieres. You will discuss obstacles that arose during filming, things that you thought went really well, what your overall experience was like and if you would do this project again if you had the choice.
Expectations
Absences: With absences there will be a three strike you're out kind of policy. If students do not show up to class more than three times they will have a meeting with me to talk about why they are not showing up and what the solution to the problem is. If they do not provide me with a proper explanation or one that is not good enough they will begin to lose point in their class participation grade.Plagiarism: The student and I will have a sit down in which I show them how to properly cite information. They will not have points taken off or receive any kind of punishment the first time, but if the student does it again intentionally their will be a conference called with them, their parents and myself to discuss a solution to the situation.
Assignments: If students are absent the day an assignment is due they will have three days to make it up, after that they will receive a zero. If a student does not turn in an assignment the day it is due they will have until the end of the day to make it up. After that if it is not turned in the next three days will once again automatically become a zero. For any and all papers the font will be 12 ALWAYS.
Classroom Expectations:
Students will be...
Benchmarks (550 total points)
• Slideshow-analyze the changes in America during the Revolution. Students will insert events in their slideshow that they felt were critical during this time. They will justify why they had these events in their slideshow. The presentation should not be done by one person, each student will contribute and present in an equal capacity. (100 points)• Imovie- make a film exhibiting the characteristics of the Revolutionary War. In this project you will film at least one reenactment of an event during this time. The rest of the film is open ended in terms of how would like to present the other events. Students may use pictures with sounds and narration if you wish. The use of models is also acceptable(ex. a model of the Battle of Ticonderoga). (150 points)
• Essay in Google docs- evaluate the long term effects of the American Revolution. This will be a four to six page assignment in which you show me what you have learned. Students will have the option of covering one specific event during the Revolution and justifying to me why this event was so critical. Students can also choose to go more broad and justify the whole Revolution. Whatever the students chooses they must have sources cited. (100 points)
• Interactive wiki space- students go on their wiki and re-enact/recreate historical events(ex. the signing of the Declaration of Independence). Students may collaborate with one another for this project, especially if the event one student is covering directly relates to one that a fellow classmate is covering(ex. the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party). (60 points)
• Comics-students will make a historical fictional comic or a real event that took place. Students will do their own illustrations and writing. Students will have to be creative here because they will have to imagine what certain events were like(ex. what was the battle of Ticonderoga like? What were the smells? What was the body count? What did it look like? What were the battle techniques? etc.). (40 points)
• Fake trial- students can recreate trials that took place during the Revolution. Students will be given role sheets and be instructed to do what their historical character would have done based on the information we have on that person. Students will understand their motivations and will accordingly. Students will also have to perform their roles in accordance to their role sheet, but should feel free to incorporate their own creative attributes to the character. When looking at their performance as a whole the students portrayal of the role will be key. They will need to be original and they will have to follow the role sheet closely to their characters(100 points).
Grading Scale
A (93 -100), A- (90 - 92), B+ (87 - 89), B (83 - 86), B- (80 - 82), C+(77 - 79), C (73-76), C- (70 - 72), D+(67 - 69), D (63 - 66), D- (60 - 62), F (0 - 59).